Baseball’S Business, Not Just Fun, Games

Wed., Aug. 5, 1998

By D.F. Oliveria daveo@spokesman.com (509) 319-0354

Shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, the innocents in the Pacific Northwest learned about the condition of modern baseball and professional sports. That’s when television cameras showed Seattle manager Lou Piniella leaning over Randy Johnson in the home dugout.

Just like that, the Big Unit was gone, traded to Houston of the National League for three minor leaguers.

There’d be no more “Mr. Snappy” frustrating hitters in the Kingdome. There’d be no exciting pennant drive this year like the magical 1995 stretch when Johnson pitched the M’s to the Western Division title. The passionate giant never again would point skyward in memory of his late father after an exciting M’s win.

The Johnson era was over.

The innocents, the fans who jumped on the M’s 1995 bandwagon and then stayed to save pro baseball in the Pacific Northwest, discovered Friday the bottom line in pro sports is more important than wins and losses. Or loyalty. Or the thrill of watching Johnson throw the first pitch next year at the new park his left arm had helped build.

It wasn’t just management’s bottom line either.

Johnson’s unhappiness when the M’s refused to pay him megabucks to extend his contract played a big role in this lost season. At times, he was the old Unit, throwing BBs past befuddled batters. Too often, he was distracted, serving up meatballs to grateful No. 8 and No. 9 hitters who someday will brag to grandkids about homering off the strikeout king.

Long-time fans, of course, know about the not-so-new order of pro sports. Gone are the days when a player spends his whole career in one city. In fact, fans of the old Cleveland Browns and Houston Oilers will say there’s no guarantee a favorite franchise will remain in a city.

At this point, Seattle fans have much for which to be thankful.

The franchise is safe for the foreseeable future. Safeco Field, with a retractable roof, will open around the 1999 all-star break. The team still has an abundance of stars: Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner. And, for all or parts of 10 years, Randy Johnson provided wonderful thrills as he piled up wins (130), strikeouts (2,161), shutouts (19) and one no-hitter.

It’d be nice to see Johnson pitch in the World Series - even with another team. It’d be nicer if the three unknown players the M’s got for him blossomed into stars. It’d be nicest if pro baseball was a game that was played just between the lines.

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